Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Life Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

The Baldwin Effect: An Archeology, David Depew Dec 1999

The Baldwin Effect: An Archeology, David Depew

David J Depew

Abstract: “The Baldwin effect” stands for a wide variety of ways in which learn ing can be conceived as guiding adap tive evolution ary change. An analysis of the history of this notion reveals that it does not reliably refer either to a theory-neutral empirical phenomenon or to a single theoretical hypothesis. On the contrary, articulations of the general idea depend on distinctive, but in commensurable, theoretical backgrounds. In reconstructing the conceptual history of the Baldwin effect I hope to support contemporary explorations of idea by encouraging the articulation of new theoretical frameworks in which it might make sense. I …


Clusterin Is An Atp-Independent Chaperone With Very Broad Substrate Specificity That Stabilizes Stressed Proteins In A Folding-Competent State, Stephen Poon, Simon Easterbrook-Smith, Mark Rybchyn, John Carver, Mark Wilson Dec 1999

Clusterin Is An Atp-Independent Chaperone With Very Broad Substrate Specificity That Stabilizes Stressed Proteins In A Folding-Competent State, Stephen Poon, Simon Easterbrook-Smith, Mark Rybchyn, John Carver, Mark Wilson

Mark R Wilson

We recently reported that the ubiquitous, secreted protein clusterin has chaperone activity in vitro [Humphreys et al. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 6875−6881]. In this study, we demonstrate that clusterin (i) inhibits stress-induced precipitation of a very broad range of structurally divergent protein substrates, (ii) binds irreversibly via an ATP-independent mechanism to stressed proteins to form solubilized high molecular weight complexes, (iii) lacks detectable ATPase activity, (iv) when acting alone, does not effect refolding of stressed proteins in vitro, and (v) stabilizes stressed proteins in a state competent for refolding by heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). Furthermore, we show that, …


Exploring Adaptations To Famine: Rats Selectively Bred For Differential Intake Of Saccharin Differ On Deprivation-Induced Hyperactivity And Emotionality., Clinton Chapman, Jill Arnal, Dennis Vanderweele, Nancy Dess Dec 1999

Exploring Adaptations To Famine: Rats Selectively Bred For Differential Intake Of Saccharin Differ On Deprivation-Induced Hyperactivity And Emotionality., Clinton Chapman, Jill Arnal, Dennis Vanderweele, Nancy Dess

Clinton D Chapman

In many mammals, including humans and rats, acute starvation increases locomotor activity. This seemingly paradoxical and potentially lethal behavior pattern may reflect an evolved, multisystem response to sudden threats to metabolic homeostasis. The present study provides a novel test of this idea. Occidental High- (HiS) and Low- (LoS) Saccharin-Consuming rats differ on the taste phenotype and also on some affective measures, on which LoS rats score higher. Wheel running was measured in HiS and LoS rats with food available freely vs for 1 hr daily. As predicted, restricted feeding stimulated significantly more running among LoS rats. Two independent tests of …